Wrist watch connector



Nov. 21, 1950 K. c. AUGENSTEIN v WRIST WATCH CONNECTOR Filed June 6, 1947 W Eli Patented Nov. 21, 1 950 WRIST WATCH CONNECTOR Karl C. Augenstein, Cranston, R. 1., assig-nor to Speidel Corporation, Providence, R. L, a corporation of Rhode Island Application June 6, 1947, Serial No. 752,984

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a connector for coupling a wrist watch or the like. article to abracelet.

Bracelets are usually attached to a wristwatch or the like article by a metal loop, the design of which usually does not harmonize with either that of the bracelet or of the watch. In order to overcome the objectionable appearance thus created, handmade coupling members (sometimes referred to as cocktail end connectors), designed to harmonize with the design of a selected watchor bracelet are provided, but such coupling members are not only expensive, but furthermore both their design and construction do not permit use with the-more conventional types of wrist watches and bracelets.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a connector which is capable of use with conventional wrist watches and bracelets and which is so designed as to present an attractive appearance in harmony with any of the more conventional types of wrist watches and bracelets; and to provide a reliableconnector which is of simple but durable construction, easy and convenientto operate, and which can be'economically manufactured and sold at popuin .prices.

Further objects relate to various features of construction and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a top plan view of a bracelet having a wrist watch-connector constructed in accordance with the present invention, the connector being-shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the connector in open position;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged horizontal sections through the connector;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the tubular insert;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. '7 is a section similar'to Fig. 3, but showing a connector of modified construction.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a connector comprising an ornamental shell or casing having an end portion which is :provided with any suitable means by which it may be attached to a bracelet, the design of "the casing being such as to harmonize with that -of 'thebr'acelet and wrist watch. Mounted within the opposite or outer end of the casing is a'fixed lo'cking'abutment and suitable means are provided at this end for pivotally supporting one end of a resilient C-shaped shackle so that its opposite or free end may be swung into and out of the-casing. The freeendof the shackle is formed with a latch dog or the like engageable with the abutment when the shackle is swung to closed position so as to flex or spring the shackle sufiiciently to cause the latch dog and abutment to interlock, the inherent resiliency of the shackle being relied upon to maintain the latch dog and abutment in interlocking engagement.

Release of the closed shackle may be effected by any suitable means for disconnecting the latch dog and abutment and, to this end, one wall of the casing may be formed with an opening through which a pin or the like may be inserted and pressed against the latch dog to eiiect disengagement; or if desired, a latch release may be mounted within the casing and provided with a part engageable with the latch dog and another part extending through anopening in the wall of the casing, or otherwise accessible for operation to effect release of the latch dog.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the embodiment shown therein comprises a connector C attached to one end of a bracelet B, the connector comprising an ornamental shell or casing l of generally rectangular cross-section, having a top wall 2 a part of which is embossed to simulate links of the bracelet B. The side walls 3 and 4 of the casing merge with the outer end wall 6 which is formed with spaced openings 8 and 9 adjacent to the junction with the side walls. Mounted within the casing is a tubular member in (Fig. 5) of elongate generally rectangular cross section, pref.- erably being formed from a piece of sheet metal. The tubular member ID tightly fits within the casing I, as shown in Fig. 6, and its outer face ll constitutes the bottom wall of the casing and its other face l2 the inner wall of the casing, the two walls defining a narrow chamber l3 (Fig. 6). The side walls of the member [0 are recessed, as shown at M and I5, to provide fixed abutments l6 and I8 disposed inwardly of the openings 8 and 9, respectively. 7

A resilient O-shaped shackle 20 has an arm 2| formed with an end portion designed to'be pivotally supported by the casing l, and, as here shown by way of example, the end portion of the arm 2| is formed with a semi-circular recess 22 embracing the outer marginal portion or 'lip 23 of the opening 8, and a segment-shapedenlargement 24 which extends through the opening 8 into the chamber l3 (Fig. 6), as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The construction and arrangement of parts are such that when'the shackle is swung about the lip 23 to closed position, the outer edge of the segment 24 engages the inner end of abutment [6, as shown in Fig. 3, and the opposite or inner edge of the segment 24 is engageable with the inner marginal portion of the opening 8 to limit the upward swinging movement of the shackle,'as shown in Fig. 4.

18 so as to flei-i or sprin the shackle inwardly sufficiently to permit the dog 26 to interlock with the abutment I8, as shown in Fig. 3, the inherent resiliency of the shackle being relied on to hold the parts in closed position. In order to release or open the shackle, it is merely necessary to disengage the dog 26 from the abutment, whereupon the shackle flies open due to the resiliency f the shackle and the action of the recessed part 22 on the lip 23. Such release may be ef- :fected by the use of a common pin P or the like inserted through a small opening 30 in the side wall 4 of the casing, as shown in Fig. 3.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 7 is in all material particulars substantially identical to that previously described, except for the bracelet attachment and latch release, and the same or similar reference characters are applied to like,

parts. In this embodiment, the inner end of the casing I2 is formed with an extension 35 which provides an annular coupling member for attachment to the end of a bracelet, and the inner edge of the wall I2 is formed with a recess 3G to receive the hooked end 38 of a latch release 40 and thus provide a pivotal support. The latch release 40 is formed with a nose 42 engageable with the dog 26 and an extension 46 which projects outwardly through an opening 45 in the side wall 4 of the casing to provide an operating button or member by means of which the latch release may be swung in a counterclockwise direction about its end 38 to cause the nose 42 to disengage the dog 26 from abutment l8, as indicated by the dot and dash lines of Fig.

'7. When the shackle 20 is swung to closed position, the dog 26 engages the nose 42 to hold the latch release 40 in retracted position as illustrated by the broken lines of Fig. 7.

. While I have shown and described diiierent desirable embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

- I claim:

1. A connector for a wrist watch or the like article, comprising an ornamental casing having top and side walls, an end wall having means for attachment to a bracelet and an opposite end having an opening, a fixed locking abutment within said casing adjacent to said opening, a resilient C-shaped shackle having one arm pivotally mounted at the opposite end of said casing so that the free end portion of its other arm may be swung through said opening into and out of the interior of said casing when said shackle is swung to and from closed position, said free end being formed with a latch dog having a cam surface engageable with said abutmentv to spring said shackle sufficiently to permit said latch dog to interlock with said abutment, thereby to hold said shackle in closed position, the pivotally supported end portion of said shackle having a part engageable with said casing'when in closed position and operative to urge said shackle toward open position so that when said latch dog is disengaged from said abutment, the shackle swings to open position, and a latch release mounted within said casing having a part engageable with said free end to eifect disengagement with said abutment and a second part projecting through a wall of said casing to permit manual operation of the latch release.

2. A connector for a wrist watch or the like article comprising an ornamental casing having top, bottom and side walls, an end wall having means for attachment to a bracelet and an opposite end having spaced openings, a platesecured within said casing in spaced relation to its bottom wall, said plate having a locking abutment adjacent to one of said openings, a resilient C-shaped shackle having one end projecting through the other of said openings and being pivotally supported by the marginal portion about the latter opening so that its free end portion may be swung through the first opening into and out of the space between said plate and bottom-wall, said free end portion being formed with a latch dog having a cam surface engageable with said abutment to spring said shackle sufficiently to permit said latch dog to interlock with said abutment, thereby to hold said shackle in closed position, said one end of said shackle being formed with an enlargement engageable with the marginal portion of said other opening to limit the outward swinging movement of said shackle.

3. A connector for a wrist watch or the like article comprising an ornamental casing having top, bottom and side walls, an end wall having means for attachment to a bracelet and an opposite end having spaced openings, a plate secured within said casing in spaced relation to its bottom wall, said plate having a locking abutment adjacent to one of said openings, a resilient G-shaped shacklehaving one end projecting through the other of said openings and being pivotally supported by the marginal portion about the opening so that its free end portion may be swung through the first opening into and out of the space between said plate and bottom wall, said free end portion being formed with a latch dog having a cam surface engageable with said abutment to spring said shackle suificiently to permit said latch dog to interlock with said abutment, thereby to hold said shackle in closed position, said one end of said shackle being formed with an enlargement engageable with the marginal portion of said other opening to limit the outward swinging movement of said shackle, and a latch release mounted within said space, said latch release having a part engageable with said opposite end portion to effect disengagement with said abutment and another part projecting through a wall of said casing to permit manual operation of the latch release.

KARL C. AUGENSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 238,391 Homer Mar. 1, 1881 486,419 Pearson et al Nov. 15, 1892 640,556 Giguere Jan. 2, 1900 1,219,871 Sapo Mar. 20, 1917 1,427,836 Morris Sept. 5, 1922 1,830,020 Domler Nov. 3, 1931 2,205,215 Levesque June 18, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,069 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1878 

